First lady Emine Erdoğan recently accepted an award given to the Zero Waste Project by the Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (AKDENİZ-PA), stressing that it was not just a certificate of achievement but a symbol of Türkiye's deep commitment to environmental consciousness and its determined steps toward a sustainable future.
She expressed her happiness in accepting the AKDENİZ-PA award on behalf of all nature lovers who voluntarily embraced, contributed to and carried forward the project.
Erdoğan, who also serves as the chairperson of the United Nations High-Level Advisory Board on Zero Waste, expressed her satisfaction with the recognition of the Zero Waste Project through the award, saying: "I am happy to accept the AKDENİZ-PA award on behalf of all the nature lovers who have embraced, contributed to and carried forward the project voluntarily because the environmental heroes who renew our belief in a clean future every day are among us."
She also highlighted that the selection of the Zero Waste Project as the best project in the "Green Transformation" category among many nominated projects and its recognition with an international award is a source of pride for Türkiye.
"I see this award not only as a certificate of achievement but also as a symbol of Türkiye's deep commitment to environmental consciousness and its determined steps toward a sustainable future. I wholeheartedly believe that Türkiye's will to live in harmony with nature will contribute to the realization of humanity's common dream, and I thank all member countries of the Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, especially our Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change," she added.
Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Mehmet Özhaseki also emphasized the significance of the zero waste movement as an important project for Türkiye in terms of the environment, stating: "On one hand, it has become a gain in the circular economy and is rapidly continuing. Additionally, it has become a Turkish brand worldwide, which is important for us."
Reiterating that the project ranked first in AKDENİZ-PA and that he accepted the award on behalf of the first lady, Özhaseki noted: "It is very gratifying for us; we also had the opportunity to address nearly 40 countries. There, I explained the projects our country has undertaken regarding the environment and directly addressed the tragedy happening in Palestine. I continued to speak, looking into their eyes, saying, 'If there is even a little bit of humanity left in you, please call for a cease-fire.' Receiving this great honor award for our country in terms of the environment was a proud moment. On this occasion, we also thank the esteemed first lady."
Zero Waste Project awards
The Zero Waste Project, initiated under the patronage of Erdoğan in 2017, has been honored with numerous awards to date. In 2018, the project received the "Zero Waste, Zero Hunger" award from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
In 2021, the project was recognized with the "UNDP Sustainable Development Goals Award" by the United Nations Development Programme and the "Waste Wise Cities Global Champion Award" by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). In 2022, it received the "Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly Award" (PAW Awards) and the "Climate and Development Leadership Award" presented by the World Bank.
The project, which has become a global brand due to its efforts to reduce waste generation, promote recycling and conserve resources aiming to make Türkiye a clean, developed and sustainable country, was nominated on behalf of Türkiye and was also honored at the 16th General Assembly Meeting held in Dubai on March 9-10, 2022.